The Colorado Avalanche lead the Western Conference semifinals 3-1 and aim to clinch the series in Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild at home. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
Key points
Avalanche lead Western Conference semifinals 3-1
Game 5 is at home for Colorado
Puck drop is at 8 p.m. ET
Jared Bednar changed goaltenders before Game 4
Avalanche aim to clinch the series
Mentioned in this story
Jared Bednar
Colorado AvalancheMinnesota Wild
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USATSI
Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar made the bold decision to change starting goaltenders ahead of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals at the Minnesota Wild. It worked, and now the Avs return home for a potential clinching Game 5 tonight leading 3-1. It's an 8 p.m. ET puck drop for the only hockey game Wednesday.
You have to give NHL coaches some credit in that they will pull a key guy in the playoffs no matter what their regular-season numbers say. You don't see that in the NBA, NFL or Major League Baseball. Colorado's Scott Wedgewood led the NHL in goals-against average and save percentage during the regular season and had started every playoff game.
But Wedgewood's Game 3 struggles opened the door for Mackenzie Blackwood, who looked good in relief and then got the call Monday in Game 4. In his first start in nearly a month, Blackwood stopped 19 of 21 shots in the 5-2 victory. Surely, it's his job to lose now. Blackwood also was 8-2-0 with a 2.20 GAA following a loss during the regular season. He improved to 4-2-1 with a 1.86 GAA and .927 SV in seven career starts with Colorado against Minnesota.
Q&A
What time does Game 5 between the Avalanche and Wild start?
Game 5 is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET.
What is the current series score between the Avalanche and Wild?
The Avalanche currently lead the series 3-1.
Who is the coach of the Colorado Avalanche?
The coach of the Colorado Avalanche is Jared Bednar.
What was the impact of the goaltender change for the Avalanche in Game 4?
The goaltender change made by Jared Bednar in Game 4 was successful, contributing to the Avalanche's lead in the series.
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"He was great," Bednar said. "He went in the net, did exactly what I was hoping he would do. He had some really strong practices in the last week. He's had some time to prepare. He's in tune with what's going on in the series and he's done his homework. I thought he went in and played a great game for us."
Bednar had to make some other lineup changes because defenseman Sam Malinski (40 regular-season points, plus-43) and first-line winger Artturi Lehkonen (48 points, plus-32) were ruled out less than 30 minutes before puck drop due to injury, while blueliner Josh Manson (31 points, plus-42) returned to the lineup after being out since the first round.
Captain Gabriel Landeskog moved up to skate with star center Nathan MacKinnon on the top line in Lehkonen's spot (he's iffy again). MacKinnon, who had an empty-net goal to extend his points streak to five games (six goals and five assists), had a bit of a scare, taking a puck to the face from teammate Devon Toews late in the second period. That drew plenty of blood, and MacKinnon left the ice but was back by start of the third. You have to love hockey guys. He remains the +250 Conn Smythe favorite.
Manson is one of the most physical (some might say dirtiest) guys in the league, and he was called for a double minor penalty for hitting Minnesota's Michael McCarron with the end of his stick during a scrum in the first period. Danila Yurov scored during the four-minute power play to put the Wild on the board first. That's the one thing about Manson. He had that stellar plus-42 rating during the season, but he will take stupid penalties.
Colorado has totaled 20 goals from 15 different scorers in this series. That ties for the most through four games of a series in Stanley Cup playoff history. It's the third time in franchise history the Avalanche have won seven of their first eight games of a postseason after 2022 and 2001 ā they won the Cup those two years. Colorado hasn't been to the West finals since '22.
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I don't think the Wild will make a goalie change from Jesper Wallstedt to Filip Gustavsson, as happened between Game 1 and 2, because two of Colorado's five goals Monday were on an empty net. Wallstedt played well in stopping 29 of 32 shots. Consider that the Avs held a 20-4 lead in shots on goal at one point during the second period, and a 17-1 advantage in scoring chances at 5-on-5.
Star Wild forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy were muffled by Colorado, with just a single shot each. They were a combined minus-5. The Minnesota penalty kill allowed at least one goal for a 10th straight game. That's the longest such streak in the playoffs by any NHL club since Detroit had 13 in a row in 2009. Doesn't matter who is in net if your PK is that poor. Colorado to score at least one more power-play goal tonight is -145.
"The adversity is back on us, right?" Minnesota coach John Hynes said. "It's like a volley. ... We have an opportunity to respond to what just happened. To me, wouldn't you rather have something like that happen than sit all summer, have a chance to really respond and give a good game and push this thing further? That's the opportunity."
Minnesota, which had been 4-0 in these playoffs when scoring first, has rallied from 3-1 deficits to win a series twice before. Both came in 2003 and one was against Colorado. Hynes is 0-5 in his career in elimination games dating to previous stints with Nashville and New Jersey. Center Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin remain out injured. Neither has played yet in the series.
The Avalanche are 0-4 all-time in Game 5s at home under Bednar, but they shouldn't blow the opportunity to finish and avoid traveling back to the Twin Cities for Game 6. I'd prefer Over 4.5 or Under 7.5, but both are ridiculously priced. Every game in the series has had at least six goals.Ā Check out other expert picks in the SportsLine daily newsletter.
